Post-actuating pumps for motor cars



Dec. 27, 1966 w. HUNGER 3,294,022

POST-ACTUATING PUMPS FOR MOTOR CARS Filed Dec. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. W. H u my e 1 ATTORNE Y5 Dec. 27, 1966 W. HUNGER 3,294,022

POST-ACTUATING PUMPS FOR MOTOR CARS Filed Dec. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

M. Hu nger' GLJLWQ Q QLM ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1966 w. HUNGER 3,294,022

POST-ACTUATING PUMPS FOR MOTOR CARS Filed Dec. 15, 1964 {5 SheetS Sheet3 INVENTOR WALTER HUNGER United States Patent Ofiice 3,294,022PUST-ACTUATING PUMPS FOR MOTOR CARS Walter Hunger, Rodenbacherstrasse50,

Lohr (Main), Germany Filed Dec. 15, 1964, $931. No. 418,503 6 Claims.(Cl. ltl3lll) This invention relates to pumps for the supporting devicesof motor cars and refers more particularly to manually and electricallyoperable hydraulic pumps for operating supports or posts ofsemi-trailers which connect them to motor cars.

Hydraulically driven supports or posts are now operated by hand or bymotor pumps. A drawback of prior art constructions which is particularlynoticeable in saddle type car frames and trailers, is that there is agreat deal of waste of time in manipulating the forward movement of theposts, particularly since the required gear ratio for the maximum loadis preset. Motor pumps used for operating the posts are generally of thereciprocating type and they can be operated from one side only.

Posts are usually arranged in pairs and they are now moved uniformlyoutwardly by two-cycle pumps, so that unevenness of the ground ordifferent ground inclinations can not be taken into account; one-cyclepumps are also used which make possible the adjustment of the posts tothe shape of the ground, but which jack up the posts unevenly with anuneven or one-sided load.

Heretof-ore, it was necessary to adjust the pressure medium by severalhand-operated valves; this increased to a substantial extent the lengthof time require for the operation. Furthermore, there was a danger ofaccidents resulting from the fact that the operator could mix up thevalves or that they would be improperly operated by an unqualifiedperson.

An object of the present invention is the provision of means operableduring the outward movement of the car posts (when they move withoutload) to balance the pressure of the system so that ground inclinationsor substantial ground unevennesses can be compensated; after thecompensation has taken place the same means operate the posts when theyraise the load (moving under load) to cause the posts to move by equaldistances even if the load is uneven.

Another object is to diminish the time required for operating carsupports or posts and to eliminate the danger of confusion duringoperation by providing a single actuating member for carrying out theoperations described in the first-mentioned object of the invention.

A further object is to provide means making possible the operation ofthe car posts by the use of cranks, at will from both sides of the carand in any rotary direction of the pump axle, and to provide manual aswell as electric operational facilities.

Yet another object is to operate the entire supporting deviceelectrically from the available car battery and without the use of anyadditional power sources.

A still further object is the provision of a car supporting devicehaving an adjustable actuating slide which is operable when apredetermined power has been exceeded to switch the pump automaticallyto high pressure.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it was founddesirable, according to one of the embodiments thereof, to provide apump having several pistons and operating with a high pressure side anda low pressure side, whereby the low pressure side transmits a multiple3,Z%,ZZ Patented Dec. 2?, 1966 of the volume transmitted by the highpressure side. One channel of the low pressure side connects all the lowpressure pistons, while a high pressure channel connects an equal numberof high pressure pistons for each post. Preferably, the pump body hasone low pressure channel and an even number of high pressure channels.

During operation in the low pressure range, the high pressure side isconnected with the low pressure side by an adjustable actuating slide,so that pressure upon the posts is equalized. Therefore, the posts canmove outwardly by varying lengths, until they engage the ground withequal pressure. When a set low pressure range is exceeded the actuatingslide is so shifted by built up pressure of the pressure medium, thatthe high pressure side is separated from the low pressure side and thatthe low pressure side is connected with the inlet channel. Then, withinthe high pressure range, the posts are further moved by equal pathlengths, and thus a horizontal raising of the load is always assured,even if the ground is uneven and if the load upon the individual postsis not uniform.

A tumbler disc or cam disc provided for actuating the pump pistons, ismounted upon the driving shaft. "Means, such as threaded grooves may beprovided for shifting the tumbler disc axially upon the shaft. Thearrangement may be such that the driving shaft is shifted axially in onedirection when rotated counterclockwise by by means of a hand-operatedcrank. One or more springengaged ball valves cooperate with a valve bodyor sleeve and are rotatably mounted and axially movable upon saiddriving shaft, whereby the valves are raised from their seats during anaxial movement of the sleeve. In this open position of the valves thereturn movement can taken place. The valve springs are released and theposts move back without further actuation.

The basic inventive feature of the present invention can be also carriedout into practice by other suitable means, for example, by drivers, andthen it is not necessary to provide for an axial movement of the drivingshaft.

When the source of power is inoperative the apparatus can be operatedmanually.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsshowing, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows in section a two-stage, double circuit piston pumpconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a section through a piston pump of a somewhat differentconstruction.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a semi-trailer provided with posts operatedby the pump of the present invent-ion.

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

Throughout the drawings similar parts are designated by the samenumerals.

FIG. 3 shows a motor car 21 pulling a semi-trailer 22. The main frame ofthe semi-trailer carries supports or posts 23. These posts are movedoutwardly by turning a hand crank 26 (FIG. 4) of a pump constituting thesubject of the present invention and provided with a casing 1. After thecrank has been turned one half of a revolution in the opposite directionthe posts 23 are moved inward-1y by inner springs, as will be describedhereinafter.

Furthermore, the pump can be actuated additionally by an electromotor 25connected with a gear drive 24. The current of the motor 25 is suppliedby the battery of the motor car.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes the casing 1 which serves at thesame time as a storage tank and wherein the pump body 2 is located. Adriving shaft 3 extends through the pump body 2 and carries a tumblerdisc 4. An actuating sleeve 5 has a threaded portion 6 which is engagedby a guiding pin 7. The sleeve 5 is mounted upon the shaft 3 and isshifted axially thereon by the engagement of the pin 7 when the rotationof the shaft is reversed. The sleeve 5 is also engaged by pins 8 whichconstitute parts of ball valves 8a. The sleeve 5 has conical surfacesadapted to engage the pins 8 and move them into engagement with theballs of the ball valves 8a, thereby opening the valves. As the shaft isfurther rotated the pins 8 will be lowered again. Coiled springs 9 and9b enclose portions of the shaft 3 and are located on opposite sides ofthe sleeve 5; they facilitate the engagement of the pin 7 with the screwthreads of the sleeve portion 6. A spring 9 is under tension only in anend position of the sleeve 5.

The coiled spring 9b has the tendency to push the sleeve 5 against theweaker spring 9. When shaft 3 is turned in the operating direction, thethreaded sleeve portion 6 engages the pin 7 and slides with the threadinlet past the pin. When the shaft 3 is turned in the opposite directionthe thread inlet is pressed over the pin 7, so that when the shaft isfurther rotated the threaded sleeve portion can move along the pin 7, sothat the sleeve 5 is moved. These movements of the sleeve 5 actuate thepins 8 of the ball valves 81;.

This arrangement makes it possible to open the out flow valves of thehigh pressure channels by turning the driving shaft in the directionopposite to that of its normal direction of rotation during operation.

Composite pistons consisting of low pressure pistons 10 and highpressure pistons 11 are located within the pump body 2 and are actuatedby the tumbler disc 4 against the action of springs 12 engaging innerends of the pistons. Suction valves 13 and 14 which are engaged by thesprings 12, are in communication with the suction channel 15, so thatoil is introduced from the storage tank constituted by the casing 1 intothe channel 15 and the valves 13 and 14. The pump body 2 also carriescheck valves 16 and 17; oil is pressed through the valves 16 into thechannel N constituting the low pressure channel; oil is pressed throughthe valves 17 into the channels H and H const-ituting high pressurechannels. The high pressure channels H and H are directly connected byconduits 19c and 19d with the passages 5 and S containing the movableposts (not shown) of the motor car. The posts are actuated directly bythe pressure medium located in the passages S and S A casing 18 containsthe actuating slide 19 which may be shifted through an adjustablepressure spring 20 into the low pressure position.

In operation, oil flows from the low pressure channelN through theconduit 19a into the interior 19b of the slide 19 and hence through theconduits 19c and 19d into the high pressure channels H and H and also tothe passages S and S Thus the inner chamber 1% of the slide 19 providesfor a compensation of pressure when the posts are pushed outwardlywithin the no load range, so that the posts may be moved to an unequalextent.

After the posts have reached the ground oil pressure will increase inthe passages S and S through which the posts are actuated and this oilpressure will be transmitted through a branch 19e of the conduit 19cinto a chamber 19 located within the casing 18 opposite the spring 20.This oil pressure will overcome eventually the adjustable pressure ofthe spring 20 and then the slide 19 will be moved to the left (lookingin the direction of FIG. 1) until the high pressure conduits 19c and 19dleading to the high pressure channels H and H are closed, so that theoil flowing from the low pressure channel N will be guided back into thesuction channel 15. Now only the high pressure channels H and H providepressure medium operating upon the posts. It is apparent that onechannel of the low pressure side connects all the low pressure pistons,while the high pressure channel connects an equal number of highpressure pistons for each post. The pump body has one low pressurechannel and an even number of high pressure channels. Thus in the highpressure range an equal number of high pressure pistons is operable,with each piston operating through its own channel upon a separate post.This provides equal volume of the pressure medium for the furtheractuation of the posts, so that the posts will now move under load byequal lengths.

To retract the posts, pressure upon them is released by operating thevalves 8a in the manner hereinabove described. Then the slide 19 ismoved by the spring 20 back into its low pressure position and the postscan move back into their initial positions while pressures are balanced.

A somewhat different construction is shown in FIG- URE 2 of the drawing.In this construction a tumbler disc 4 is held by means of a pin 5' in agroove 6 provided in the driving shaft 3'. The groove 6' extendshelically on both sides to so that the pin 5' can always engage the endof the groove and the shaft 3' IVVhI1 rotated, will be always shifted tothe right (looking in the direction of FIG. 2).

The driving shaft 3' carries a conical sleeve or valve body 7' which canrotate and be moved axially upon the shaft 3. The valve body 7 seals thespace 21 located to the left thereof from the space serving as thestorage tank.

In this construction, to withdraw the posts, the driving shaft 3' isturned back to the extent of 90; it will be moved thus to the left dueto the engagement of the pin 5' with the groove 6. Then the ring 9 keyedupon the shaft 3 will push the valve body 7 to the left, therebyactuating the pins 22 and raising the ball valves 23, so that the space21 as well as the passages S and S will be connected with the storagetanks.

In other respects, namely, as far as the pump body 2, the low pressurepistons 10, the high pressure pistons 11 and the slide 19 are concerned,the construction is the same and the posts are moved forward in the samemanner as that described in connection :with FIG. 1.

It is apparent that the examples described above have been given solelyby way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that they aresubject to many variations and modifications within the scope of thepresent invention. All such variations and modifications are to beincluded within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hydraulic pump for operating motor car posts by a pressuremedium, a pump body comprising a single low pressure channel, an evennumber of high pressure channels and post-actuating passages; a drivingshaft extending through said pump body, compound high pressure and lowpressure pistons in said pump body, said pump body having inner passagesconnecting each of said pistons with a separate channel, a tumbler disccarried by said driving shaft and actuating said pistons, a sleevecarried by said shaft and located within an inner chamber of said pumpbody, valves located between said postactuating passages and said innerchamber, said sleeve being adapted to open and close said valves, meansconnected with said shaft for actuating said sleeve, a casing, conduitsconnecting said channels with the interior of said casing, said passagescommunicating with the conduits connected to the high pressure channels,a slide movable within said casing and having recesses adapted toestablish communication between said conduits, and means adjusting theposition of said slide \within said casing, said slide being adapted tobe actuated by the pressure medium to separate the conduit connected tothe low pressure channel from the conduits connected to the highpressure channels, wherein the sleeve-actuating means '5 comprise a pincarried by said pump body and engaging screw threads formed in a portionof the sleeve.

2. A pump in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sleeve-actuating meanscomprise a pin carried by said tumbler disc and engaging screw threadsformed in a portion of the shaft.

3. A pump in accordance with claim 1, comprising a driver actuating saidvalves.

4. A pump in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pump can be actuatedfrom both sides of a motor car and wherein the rotation of the shaft inany direction will release the posts.

5. A pump in accordance with claim 1, wherein the pump is actuatedelectrically by the motor of the motor car to move the posts outwardly.

6. A pump in accordance with claim 5, wherein the return movement of theposts is possible only by manual actuation of the shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Rasle 60-52 Davis103-173 Jakobsen 103-173 Westbury et al 103-5 Towler et al 103-173 Smith103-5 McFarland et a1 103-168 Leissner 103-173 Wood 103-10 Gandels103-10 15 MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL LEVI-NE, MARTIN P. SCHWADRON,

Examiners.

W. L. FREEH, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A HYDRAULIC PUMP FOR OPERATING MOTOR CAR POSTS BY A PRESSUREMEDIUM, A PUMP BODY COMPRISING A SINGLE LOWER PRESSURE CHANNEL, AN EVENNUMBER OF HIGH PRESSURE CHANNELS AND POST-ACTUATING PASSAGES; A DRIVINGSHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PUMP BODY, COMPOUND HIGH PRESSURE AND LOWPRESSURE PISTONS IN SAID PUMP BODY, SAID PUMP BODY HAVING INNER PASSAGESCONNECTING EACH OF SAID PISTONS WITH A SEPARATE CHANNEL, A TUMBLER DISCCARRIED BY SAID DRIVING SHAFT AND ACTUATING SAID PISTONS, A SLEEVECARRIED BY SAID SHAFT AND LOCATED WITHIN AN INNER CHAMBER OF SAID PUMPBODY, VALVES LOCATED BETWEEN SAID POSTACTUATING PASSAGES AND SAID INNERCHAMBER, SAID SLEEVE BEING ADAPTED TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID VALVES, MEANSCONNECTED WITH SAID SHAFT FOR ACTUATING SAID SLEEVE, A CASING, CONDUITSCONNECTING SAID CHANNELS WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING, SAID PASSAGESCOMMUNICATING WITH THE CONDUITS CONNECTED TO THE HIGH PRESSURE CHANNELS,A SLIDE MOVABLE WITHIN SAID CASING AND HAVING RECESSES ADAPTED TOESTABLISHED COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CONDUITS, AND MEANS ADJUSTING THEPOSITION OF SAID SLIDE WITHIN SAID CASING, SAID SLIDE BEING ADAPTED TOBE ACTUATED BY THE PRESSURE MEDIUM TO SEPARATE THE CONDUIT CONNECTED TOTHE LOW PRESSURE CHANNEL FROM THE CONDIUTS CONNECTED TO THE HIGHPRESSURE CHANNELS, WHEREIN THE SLEEVE-ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISE A PINCARRIED BY SAID PUMP BODY AND ENGAGING SCREW THREADS FORMED IN A PORTIONOF THE SLEEVE.